[SWLUG] Resetting root password

[Chris Jackson]

2010/1/15 Neil Jones <neil at nwjones.demon.co.uk>:
> I have an ubuntu system which is new and it doesn't seem to recognise
> what I thought was the root password.
> I am trying to edit the grub loader to append the word Single as several
> websites recommend.
> pressing e in grub takes me to an editor but I don't know how to save
> anything. I can go back to the grub menu but nothing
> is saved.

Ubuntu is "root-less", so you'd normally do things through sudo.
If you need a root shell: sudo su
If you want to set the root password: sudo passwd
If you need to edit a file: sudoedit

ICBW, but I think Ubuntu sticks you in "rescue mode" if you specify
something "single" in the kernel boot options.  It doesn't have the
same concept of runlevels since moving to upstart, so maintaining a
text-only boot in runlevel 2 by not starting X or gdm doesn't
necessarily work as expected.

-- 
Chris Jackson